City of Basketball Love

Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue)
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Manalapan, N.J. — Marquee Hoops brought together a strong contingent of teams from the MHC and elsewhere to Sportika this weekend for the Summer Jumpoff to finish off the July live periods. Was there on Court 1 for five of the six sets on Sunday, taking in the action that had several Division I coaches courtside throughout the day. Here is the list of standouts from the event:

Mohamed Diaby (2024 | NY Dragons 17U)
Diaby is a 6-foot-7 wing/forward who said he’s headed to Our Saviour Lutheran Prep next season for a postgrad year. He finished with 20 points in a win over the East Coast Cyclones in the final game on Sunday. Diaby flashed some range with a pair of 3-point makes and added a few pull-ups inside the arc. His size helps him finish when he goes toward the basket and he has the ability to flush one down or avoid the defender inside to score. He came up with a stuff on the defensive end as well, where he is mobile enough to play wing but has the size and strength to match up inside.

Boogie Fland (2024 | PSA Cardinals 17U)
The five-star guard out of Archbishop Stepinac (N.Y.) put on a show with 24 points in a win over Rhode Island Elite. He makes tough shots look routine with the ability to score off the bounce from all over the floor. He tossed down an alley oop at the end of the first half to show off his athleticism, also converting an and-one when he did take it to the hoop. Fland’s shotmaking stood out down the stretch as he converted big shots to help pull his team away. He showed the ability to find his teammates as well, picking up a pair of assists.

Shamiere Green (2024 | City Rocks Hope 17U)
Green was a regular at the free throw line in a 13-point performance against Jersey Force, going 10-for-12 from the stripe. He’s an explosive athlete who really likes to attack the rim, which puts pressure on the defense throughout the game. The 6-1 guard from St. Thomas More (Conn.) used his athleticism to put in work on the glass as well as jump into passing lanes (three steals), working hard on both ends of the floor throughout the game.

Tyson Lama (2024 | Canada Elite MHC 17U)
The high-academic 6-foot-7 wing can really shoot the ball. He’s a quick release shooter who hit two threes to start his scoring and finished with three makes from deep in a 14-point outing against New Haven Heat. After the defense identified him as a shooter, he wasn’t afraid to put the ball on the deck to get to the hole, ripping and driving to the hoop. It was fun to track Lama without the ball in his hands as well as he moved around the floor to set screens on and off the ball — sometimes popping for a look.

Brady Loughlin (2025 | Jersey Force Elite 17U)
A known sharpshooter, Loughlin did show off his shooting form with a pair of threes in a 16-point outing against City Rocks Hope, however, the 6-5 guard from Don Bosco Prep (N.J.) did a whole lot more. Loughlin initiated the offense quite a bit, tallying five assists. The prettiest of which was a no-look wraparound on the money that gave his teammate an easy dunk. He can really see the floor. He put the ball on the deck to get to the hoop as well, where he displayed some nice finishing tough around the rim. 

Peter Mauro (2025 | NJ Bulldogs 17U)
Mauro wears multiple hats at the point guard spot as someone who can go get his own or carve up the defense to set up his teammates. The 6-foot guard from St. Rose (N.J.) did some driving and dishing in a win over Exodus NYC, but the scoring ability was most on display. He knocked down shots from deep and pulled up in the midrange and got downhill in transition. A nasty in-and-out move helped him get to the hoop at times. He was engaged on the other end of the floor as well, talking through switches and rotations.

Kelvin Odih (2025 | Rhode Island Elite 17U)
The 6-4 guard finished with 22 points in a loss to PSA Cardinals, doing his best to keep his team in the game. He has some eye-popping athleticism, converting a thunderous alley oop in the game, while also possessing great body control in traffic. When he got on attack mode going to the rim he was extremely difficult to stop and earned multiple trips to the line (7-for-9). He’s powerfully built and used his strength to muscle his way to eight rebounds in the game and make things difficult for his opponent on the defensive end.

Noah Payne (2024 | East Coast Cyclones 17U)
Payne diced up the NY Dragons defense in a one-point loss to finish out Sunday’s action, finishing with 13 points and seven assists. Payne, a 6-foot-1 guard at Peddie School, slipped into the cracks of the defense and put passes on the money to open teammates. He was a distributor at first — so much so that a defender played pass instead of contesting his shot on a drive to the rim — before getting his own looks. He has a deadly midrange game and showed off a floater as well. Defensively, a pair of steals and a block highlighted his two-way impact.

Jason Schofield (2024 | PSA Cardinals 17U)
The 6-foot-8 forward quietly put together a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Rhode Island Elite. Schofield wasn’t flashy in his performance but impressed with his ability to position himself, both in the offensive paint and fighting for rebounds. He has soft touch with both hands, which makes him a weapon on either side of the paint. He also stepped outside to knock down a three, highlighting his offensive versatility.

Tony Williams (2025 | New Haven Heat 17U)
The 6-foot guard who plays at Putnam Science Academy (Conn.) has a blend of shiftiness and quickness that helps him consistently beat his man and break down the defense. He took over late against Canada Elite, scoring 21 points as his team’s comeback bid fell just short. The lefty knocked down a pair of threes and went 7-for-8 from the foul line. He finished through contact and hung in the air for tough finishes. His quick hands on the defensive end helped him swipe a few steals as well.

Honorable Mention
Yair Aburus (2023 | NY Dragons 17U), Christian Bliss (2024 | PSA Cardinals), Gabriele Cambria (2024 | Exodus NYC 17U), London Carson (2024 | Jersey Force Elite 17U), Anderson Cummins (2024 | Canada Elite MHC 17U), James Curet (2024 | NJ Bulldogs 17U), Tye Dorset (2024 | East Coast Cyclones 17U), Jebron Harris (2024 | NJ Bulldogs 17U), Dashawn Hall-Johnson (2024 | New Haven Heat 17U), Darius Lopes (2025 | Rhode Island Elite 17U), Muhsin Muhammad (2024 | East Coast Cyclones 17U), Santana Sinvilcin (2024 | Jersey Force Elite 17U).